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Tyson Foods, Inc.'s (NYSE:TSN) earnings announcement last week was disappointing for investors, despite the decent profit numbers. We did some digging and actually think they are being unnecessarily pessimistic.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Tyson Foods' profit was reduced by US$584m, due to unusual items, over the last year. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Tyson Foods to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Tyson Foods' Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Tyson Foods' earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Because of this, we think Tyson Foods' earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And it's also positive that the company showed enough improvement to book a profit this year, after losing money last year. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. If you'd like to know more about Tyson Foods as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. While conducting our analysis, we found that Tyson Foods has 2 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore them.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Tyson Foods' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.